Phoenix
by Lily and Shadow
Summary: Sequel to Wishing for the Sunset. I'll post a summary later. HIATUS


**A/N:** Hola. Well, this has already been taken down once. It's back by request. Ummm... not too much to say about it except that it's old and I forgot how bad my writing used to be. This hasn't been edited from the original version. I'll post this chapter and see how it does, then I'll post the next chapter. That's all I have written thus far. Enjoy.

Thank you to everyone who read Wishing for the Sunset.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA... or DN... or TCR... or any of the other fandoms I write for.

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"Brother, are you sure you want to do this?" Al asked anxiously.

"Relax Al," Ed said with a chuckle. Al reminded him a bit of a mother hen sometimes. "It'll be fine. And besides, you're coming with me."

Al watched his brother as he braded his long, golden hair. "I know, it's just been so long. Are you sure you want to wear this thing? No one will recognize you."

"Why wouldn't they?" He sighed as he tried to make out Al's expression. Everything was still a little dim. "You're scowling at me, aren't you? Fine. It just seems weird, is all."

Al was sitting on his bed holding Ed's black, military issue coat. He still had it, even though more than a year had passed since he had been anywhere near a base. It was odd to think back on all of that. It had been nearly two years since the war that took his limbs and his vision. The fighting had stopped now and there was relative peace. But that wasn't all he had lost. His and Roy's entire squad had been killed in that war, save for the two of them.

Roy. It had been a year already. More than a year. He sighed softly and paused in his braiding, mismatched hands still caught in his hair.

"Ed?" Al said timidly. Ed had a habit of just drifting off into his thoughts. It was something that had started after Mustang's death.

"Just thinking," he replied. He could still remember the feeling of Roy's hands in his hair and the sound of his voice in his ear.

"You don't have to go back, you know," Al pointed out. He had been trying to talk Ed out of returning to Central for months now. He had watched his brother improve since he had come back and told him his vision was starting to return. He had helped him readjust by sparing with him and practicing alchemy with him. The most important contribution he had made to Ed's recovery, however, had nothing to do with the skills he would require in the military. More than anything he had been there when his brother needed a friend, someone to confide in or ask advice of. They had spent quite a bit of time together and Al didn't want to lose him to the military again. At the same time, though, he understood that this was all Ed had. It was all he knew. He had joined the military as a state alchemist when he was only twelve. He was twenty one now. The military really was the only thing he knew.

Winry had already made Al promise to make Ed take care of his automail, even though they both knew he wouldn't. Fortunately, Al had been living with the Rockbells since Ed had forbidden him to tag along on any more missions and he had learned a thing or two about automail maintenance. As long as Ed didn't completely destroy it, he should be able to fix it.

He had known from the moment Ed told him his vision was coming back that this day would come, he just hadn't expected it to be so soon. Quietly he placed Ed's military coat atop their bags and went to the closet to retrieve the red coat with their teacher's insignia on it. The one Ed hadn't worn since Mustang's funeral.

Ed had finished braiding his hair now and he stood silently watching his brother and trying to figure out his expression. Al had grown up so much over the past year. Ed had to keep reminding himself that his brother was twenty. He looked so much younger, but he acted well beyond his years. They had grown so much closer over the last year. They had shared secrets and stories, they had laughed and cried together, and they had just been together. They hadn't spent so much time together since their last mission as a team. The only thing Ed still hadn't told Al was what he dreamt of when he had nightmares. Al didn't need to know.

He glanced around the room he shared with Al before his gaze settled on the boy. "You ready?"

"No," Al admitted. "But I'm never going to be, so let's go."

Ed nodded and picked up his bag. They had a train to catch.


End file.
